“What is the mission of our institution? What do we value the most? What can we afford to do and be the best of what we are and be content with that? If you chase something that you can’t achieve, because of resources more than anything else, you’re going to have a hard time surviving… Athletics should be an asset.” That’s former multi-stop Athletics Director (UConn, N.C. State, Vanderbilt, Washington) and Collegiate Sports Associates Founder and Chairman Todd Turner in conversation with ADU’s Tai M. Brown at the 2025 NCAA Convention, in which Turner reflects on the urgency of the changing landscape and how leaders today should be approaching the substantial issues currently weighing on the industry. Turner emphasizes the value of incorporating Athletics into the enterprise of higher education, pointing to the unique system of intercollegiate athletics in the U.S. that weaves the principles of equity with opportunity and education.
Turner and Brown also dive into Turner’s 21 years of experience in the big chair as well as the founding and purpose of Collegiate Sports Associates– specifically the organization’s mission to bring decades of on-campus experience to today’s leaders as they make decisions that will impact future generations of student-athletes.
The conversation is indexed below for efficient viewing (click the time stamp to jump to a specific question/topic).
